For just the second time since December 1, the Texas A&M -
Corpus Christi men's basketball team returns to the American Bank
Center for its home conference opener against fellow West Division
member UTSA on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Islanders (5-10, 0-1
Southland) are coming off a 72-49 setback at McNeese State, as the
Cowboys defense forced 22 turnovers and the Islanders went ice cold
from the field in the second half in the Islanders first
conference-opening loss since 2008. Demond
Watt had 16 points, going 10-of-11 from the free-throw line, in
a losing effort for the Islanders.

UTSA is 6-7 on the year after suffering a last-minute, 62-59
loss to Sam Houston State on Saturday night in San Antonio. The
Roadrunners held the lead until the closing minutes, and two
three-point attempts by the home squad both went awry in the losing
effort. Jeromie Hill scored 17 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the
field, in the loss.

QUICK HITS
• Senior Justin
Reynolds has been heating up as of late. He now has eight games
in double figures in the last 10 contests. He has averaged 12.3
points and 7.7 rebounds over that span. Reynolds put up his best
game of the season Jan. 2 at Texas Tech. The Pearland, Texas,
native scored a season-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting and also
had a season-best three steals.

• Head Coach Perry
Clark is just one win shy of 300 in his career. The veteran
bench boss has a 299-259 career record and was the 1992 National
Coach of the Year.

• Against Montreat, senior Demond
Watt became the eighth player in school history to top 1,000
career points, joining the club just three games after Reynolds
did. They are just the second pair of Islanders teammates to hit
quadruple figures at the same time, joining Corey Lamkin and Travis
Bailey, who did so in 2005.

• Watt has had four games with 20-plus points and 10-plus
rebounds this season. His 17 career double-doubles are third in
school history, as he delivered his fifth and sixth double-doubles
of the year against Montreat and Texas Tech, respectively.

• The Islanders played one of the toughest non-conference
slates in the nation this year. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
played six teams that made the 2010 NCAA Tournament and two that
made the 2010 NIT in non-conference play.

• The Islanders placed four players in double figures
against both Houston and Memphis, arguably the team's top two
performances of the year. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi is 4-3
this year when having at least three players with 10-plus points,
having done so in each of the last two games.

• Texas A&M - Corpus Christi is 0-7 on the road this
season to go along with a 2-2 neutral-site mark and a 3-1 home
record.

SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
UTSA is 6-7 on the year after falling 62-59 to Sam Houston State
in its conference opener on Saturday. The Roadrunners held the lead
into the closing minutes, but were unable to connect on either of
two potential game-tying three pointers in the final minute of
regulation. Since knocking off Houston 68-63 on Dec. 11, UTSA is on
a five-game losing streak.

Devin Gibson is the star for the Roadrunners, averaging 15.0
points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists on the season. Jeromie Hill
has added 14.2 points and 6.3 rebounds, while Melvin Johnson III
has been the main three-point threat, averaging 13.2 points on
32-of-88 outside shooting.

EASY AS ABC
In seven years at the American Bank Center, the Islanders have
enjoyed strong success at the facility. Since the 2004-05 season,
when the Center opened, the Islanders are a combined 63-19 in the
building, including four seasons with at least nine wins and six
with double-digit victories.

This year, the Islanders are 3-1 at home, with their only loss
coming to No. 16 Texas A&M. On the other hand, Texas A&M -
Corpus Christi is just 2-2 at neutral sites and 0-7 in true road
contests.

The Islanders have played two regular-season games in the Dugan
Wellness Center since it opened in 2009, going 2-0 in the
building.

DOUBLE 1,000s
With a layup late in the first half against Montreat, Demond
Watt became the eighth player in Islanders history to make it
to 1,000 career points. He was the second to top the mark this
year, joining Justin
Reynolds in passing the milestone.

Reynolds entered the elite club for the Islanders against
Houston on Dec. 18. The native of Pearland, Texas, topped the
1,000-point barrier with his layup in the opening minute of OT.

Chris Daniels is the school record holder, with 1,407 points
from 2004-08. The duo joins Travis Bailey and Corey Lamkin (2005)
as the only teammates to have surpassed the marker at the same
time. Reynolds now has 1,065 career points for the Islanders, while
Watt has 1,037.

COUNTDOWN TO 300
The Islanders players aren't the only ones that are approaching
milestones, though. Head Coach Perry
Clark, in his 19th year as a collegiate head coach, is just one
win shy of breaking the 300-win barrier. The veteran coach is
299-259 in his career to go along with a 49-60 mark in his four
years at Texas A&M - Corpus Christi.

SENIOR SURGE
Senior Justin
Reynolds came into this season as one of the most popular
players in program history. But after a slow start to his final
campaign in an Islanders uniform, even the most devoted of fans had
to question whether he had lost some of his luster.

But the senior has heated up recently after a slow start,
posting eight games in double figures in the last 10. He rang in
the New Year with his best performance of the season, scoring 20
points on 8-of-10 shooting to go along with three steals against
Texas Tech.

Reynolds, who was named to the Dr. Pepper Classic All-Tournament
Team for his efforts on the court, is averaging 12.3 points and 7.7
rebounds the last nine games. Against Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 26,
he had his lone double-double this year with 10 points and 13
boards.

WATT'S MORE
In addition to topping the 1,000 point plateau, Demond
Watt has also topped the 700 rebound mark. Watt is second in
school history in both rebounds (720) and blocks (115). He is 122
rebounds and 65 blocks behind the career leaders in those
categories.

DISTRIBUTION LINE
The Islanders have played their best basketball this season when
getting scoring from a wide array of sources. The Islanders are 2-1
when seeing four players score in double figures and 4-3 when three
men hit double digits.

They looked poised to continue that trend at McNeese early on,
as six different players scored the first six buckets of the game
and the visitors went toe-to-toe with the hot-shooting Cowboys. But
after the quick start, the Islanders only got five baskets from
players other than Justin
Reynolds and Demond
Watt the rest of the game.